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Rachael Flatt first discovered her love of figure skating at the age of four while searching for a Christmas present for her grandfather.
After she and her father encountered a public skating rink at a local mall in San Diego, the two left with tickets for skating lessons. A little over a decade later, Flatt found herself on the massive stage, competing in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, held in Vancouver. However, like many other Olympic athletes who enter into their competitive peak at an early age, Flatt soon found herself contemplating her life after skating. Unlike many other skaters, who often focus on fulfilling their Olympic dreams and then beginning to consider coaching careers and choreography, Flatt found herself bound for Stanford University, with aspirations of pursuing a career in medicine after her skating career had ended.
Now 21, Flatt has officially retired after her last public skating appearance at the beginning of January. She is pursuing her B.S. in Biology and plans to attend medical school. She admits that having to watch the recent Sochi Games was no easy feat, with recent Olympic memories still fresh in her mind. Flatt still plans to have some involvement with skating in her future, but is currently looking forward to exploring other paths and experiences during her dwindling time at Stanford.
